Razor blade marking apparatus



Dec. 22, 1970 F. s. MARTIN RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS 2 9 m ml 1 I QU M W HL lh n h F IL Q h N 9 t A 9 t w 8 mm DD 0m 3 mm a EU U. a g

| L E1L uzn Filed Oct. 24, 1967 ,Dec. .1 I I F. s. MARTIN 3,550,152-

RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1967 v I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG 5 v FIG 6 76 Dec. 2711970 A F. s. MARTIN 3,550,152

RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I HOI, 8* I I United States Patent O 3,550,152 RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUSFrank Samuel Martin, Weuham, Mass., assignor to The Gillette Company,Gillette Park, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 24,1967, Ser. No. 677,599 Int. Cl.G11b 21/12;G01d9/l0, /12

US. Cl. 346-74 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Magnetic markingapparatus for recording data on segments of stainless steel strip razorblade 0.1895 inch in width in which the apparatus includes: twenty-threecylindrical permanent magnets one each 0.120 inch in diameter, mountedin housings in a line beside a path of movement of the razor blade stripthereby; biasing means biasing the magnets toward the blade strip path;carriers in which said housings are mounted; a selector on each carrierconnected to the housing adapted for selecting the magnet to contact thestrip by advancing the magnet to an activated condition; a support baron which the carriers are mounted; a cam connected to the support barfor moving the activated magnets between marking positions contactingthe strip material and non-marking positions remote therefrom; and avacuum block on the other side of the strip path from the magnetsexposing a vacuum chamber to the strip path via an elongated groove0.031 inch in width for preventing transverse movement of the bladestrip.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to razor blade processingand more particularly to apparatus for recording data on segments ofsteel strip razor blade material and to strip razor blade segments somarked.

In any significant manufacturing operation today, quality control is ofprime importance, and nowhere is this more true than in the manufactureof strip razor blades. To this end it is highly desirable that the razorblades carry indicia of production history in order that subsequentlydiscovered defects may be correlated therewith and in order thatappropriate action may be taken to prevent such defects in the future.On the other hand it is desirable to use a coded non-visible marking tokeep the information confidential. Likewise it is desirable to utilizemarking apparatus which is adaptable to incorporation in existingprocessing machinery. It has been found that magnetic marking suits allof these purposes.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide amagnetic marking apparatus capable of producing coded markings in steelstrip razor blade material to indicate processing data. It is likewisean object to produce such a marked strip. Other objects of thisinvention are to provide such apparatus which is of simple and compactdesign adapted for incorporation in existing machinery; and to providesuch apparatus which is simple to operate and which adds minimally tounit production cost. And still another object of this invention is toprovide in such apparatus means for preventing deflection of stripmaterial during and after marking.

In general the invention features, in addition to a strip razor bladesegment magnetically marked, apparatus for marking having a plurality ofmagnet members positioned beside the blade strip path through theapparatus. Connected to each of several of the magnet members is aselector for switching certain of such magnet members to markingcondition for marking in a predetermined variable pattern. Alsoconnected to the magnet members is an actuator for causing the selected,activated magnet Patented Dec. 22, 1970 members to place a plurality ofmagnetic marks on the razor blade strip in the predetermined pattern. Ina particular embodiment of the invention the magnet members arepermanent magnets mounted in individual housings and normally biasedtoward the blade strip path by springs. Individual selector levers movethe magnets to marking condition. A reference magnet is also includedwhich is fixed in marking condition. All the magnets are mounted inseries on a support bar which is moved toward the blade strip path by acam actuator so that the magnets contact the razor blade strip and placea series of magnetic marks on it. The blade strip is moved inincremental steps and: the cam actuator moves the support bar when theblade strip is at rest. A vacuum block is provided on the other side ofthe strip path from the magnet exposing a vacuum chamber to a strippassing thereby. The block thus prevents strip deflection during andafter marking.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of a particular embodiment thereof together with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of razor blade strip processingapparatus incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of a razor blade strip tobe marked;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of marking apparatus according to theinvention as incorporated into the blade strip processing apparatus ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partially diagrammatic, elevation taken along theline 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 6-6 of FIG 4;

FIG. 7 is an elevation taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT As will be seen from FIG. 1 of thedrawings, the razor blade strip processing apparatus 10 includes aplurality of components linearly arranged (the bends in the strip path14 shown in FIG. 1 being used only to diagrammatically indicatecontinuity thereof) between a supply station 20 and a segmenting station48. Pullout rollers 24 positioned in the strip path 14 after supplystation 20 draw razor blade strip 12 along the strip path 14 from thecoil 13 at supply station 20. Pullout rollers 24 draw strip materialfrom coil 13 at the average speed of the strip through the remainder ofapparatus 10. The razor blade 12 is a stainless steel strip (theprincipal metallurgical constituents of which, in addition to iron, are0.40% carbon and 13.5% chromium) 0.0015 inch thick and 0.1895 inch wide.As shown in FIG. 2 the razor strip material 12 has a razor edge 15 whichis fed in an upright position through apparatus 10 to avoid damagethereto.

A tension control and brake assembly 22 is provided between pulloutrollers 24 and supply station 20 for exerting a tensional force on thestrip material at the coil 13 thereof, at station 20, in the directionof rotation thereof and for braking the coil in response to a tensiondecrease below a predetermined level.

After pullout rollers 24 the strip path 14 forms a slack loop containinga greater amount of strip material therein than a segment lengththereof, which loop is maintained by a flow of air from jet 26.Photoelectric cell detectors 28 are provided at the position of the loopto sense any increase in the loop beyond the position therebetween tosignal pullout rollers 24 to slow down or stop. Microswitch 30 detectsand signals any loss of the loop. From rollers 24 movement of stripmaterial through apparatus 10 is incremental, the slack loop, however,permitting the strip material to be drawn from coil 13 at a relativelyconstant speed.

From the loop the strip path 14 proceeds between guide rollers 32 andthence to a vacuum tension control block 34 which exerts a retardingforce on the strip material as it passes therefrom. The vacuum tensioncontrol block 34 simply comprises a block adjacent the side of the strippath having perforations at that side through which a vacuum is appliedto the side of the strip material as it moves along path 14. Thefrictional engagement of the strip 12 and the block 34 therebyengendered creates a tension in the strip 12 from that point forward inthe apparatus.

From the vacuum tension control block 34, the strip path 14 passesthrough a series of inspection stations 36 which are adapted to detectany defects in the strip 12 and to store the information in a mechanicalmemory cell (not shown) to signal actuation of a reject mechanism at alater stage when the strip 12 reaches the reject mechanism.

From the inspection stations the strip path 14 extends through tabplacement apparatus 38 which is positioned four strip segment lengthsfrom the segmenting station 48, for operation in the stopped position ofthe incremental movement of a strip 12 therethrough. At the tabplacement apparatus 38 tabs 16 and 17, FIG. 2, comprising generallyU-shaped members with a perforation 18, 19 on one side thereof are fedfrom feed bowls 40 and placed on strip 12 side by side. The tabs arefastened at placement apparatus 38 to the strip 12 by punches which movethrough apertures 18, 19 and deform the strip material and portion oftabs 16, 17 therebehind. Also at apparatus 38 is another vacuum tensioncontrol block 42, similar to block 34, to assist in tensioning the strip12 and to prevent wavering of the strip 12 as tabs 16, 17 are placedthereon.

From the tab placement apparatus the strip path 14 moves through fineadjustment and tab detector apparatus 44, three segment lengths fromstation 48, which adjusts the position of the strip 12 prior to theplacement of the next set of tabs 16, 17 by placement apparatus 38 toassure accuracy of placement thereof, and which detects the presence orabsence of tabs and in the absence of one or more tabs signals anapparatus stop cricuit.

From the fine adjustment and tab detector mechanism 44 the strip 12moves to bi-directional control apparatus 46, two segment lengths fromstation 48, which prevents any slack from moving backwardly through thestrip 12 thereby to maintain tension therebehind and which alsofunctions to exert a retarding tensioning influence on the strip 12 asit passes therefrom to the segmenting station 48.

Positioned along the strip path 14 after the control apparatus 46 is themagnetic marking apparatus 50 for placing a code indicative of itsproduction history on the blade strip.

Finally, the apparatus 10 is provided with a segmenting station 48 atwhich means are provided for incrementally pulling the strip through theapparatus, for segmenting the strip at the position between tabs 16, 17,for depositing the strip in trays 49 on a conveyor therebelow, and forrejecting defective strip segments.

Turning now to the magnetic marking apparatus 50, as shown in FIGS. 3and 4, twenty-three magnet carriers 52 are positioned along the strippath 14 between the stopped position of the tabs 16, 17 of one stripsegment during the incremental movement thereof through the apparatus.Each carrier 52 has a bore 54 extending therethrough which is enlargedin the rear portion thereof, as shown in FIGS. and 6. A generallycylindrical magnet housing 56 is positioned in each bore 54 extendingthrough the front portion thereof aligned with the side of strip 12. Acollar 58 on each housing 56, in the enlarged portion of bore 54 isengaged by a compression spring 60 also in bore 54 and retained thereinby a back plate 62 removably fastened to carrier 52 and extending across'bore 54. The compression spring 60 biases housing 56 forwardly towardstrip 12 and collar 58, in addition to cooperating with spring 60therefor, limits the extent to which the housing 56 can move.

Positioned in an axial bore within each housing, facing strip path 14,56 is a sintered permeant magnet 64, 0,120 inch in diameter ,(GE Type22C53A), which is soldered at 66 to housing 56. The magnets 64 arealigned with strip 13 for contact therewith on actuation of theapparatus 50 and each magnet has its North pole facing strip 12.

The carriers 52 are mounted on a support bar 68 and are locked againstrotational movement thereon by keys 70 engaging the bar 68 and carriers52. Set screws 72 are provided in threaded bores in the carriers toengage a flat surface 74 on the bar 68 to locate the carriers axiallyalong the bar 68.

All of the carriers are movable with support bar 68 between markingpositions in which magnets 64 contact strip 12 and non-marking positionsremote therefrom. The carriers 52 are arranged on bar 68 in apredetermined code pattern, such as is illustrated in FIG. 3, of 5 setsI-V, each having four bits 1-4. Additionally a reference grouping,spaced from the other carriers, is provided including one fixedreference carrier, Ref, and a pair of selective reference carriers, A-B.

To permit distinctive marking, however, a selector is connected to eachof the carriers 52, except the reference carrier, Ref, for activiatingselectively only certain of magnets. As illustrated in FIG. 6, theselector comprises a lever 76 pivotally connected by pin 78 to the rearportion of the magnet housing 56. Lever 76 is provided with a cam shapedbearing surface 80, bearing against cover plate 62 whereby, in the downposition of lever 76, illustrated in FIG. 6 the magnet 64 is in anactivated condition for contact with strip 12 on movement of carrier 52to a marking position, and whereby, in the up position of lever 76,illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 6, the magnet is in an inactivecondition withdrawn from strip 13 even in the marking position ofcarrier 52. Since the reference carrier 52, Ref. in FIG. 3, is alwaysactivated, no selector is provided therefor, as shown in FIG. 5.

For moving the carriers 52 between the marking and non-marking positionsan actuator is connected thereto via bar 68. The actuator comprises acam mechanism timed to move the carriers 52 to a marking position whenthe strip 12, which is moved intermittently, is at rest. As shown inFIG. 7, the actuator includes a cam wheel 82 and also includes a camfollower 84 mounted on an arm 86 pivoted to frame 85. The cam follower84 is positioned beneath cam wheel 82 and is biased upwardlythereagainst by a tension spring 88 interconnected between arm 86 and aportion of frame thereabove. A connecting rod 90 extends from arm 86 toone end of a lever 92 which in turn is keyed at its other end to rockershaft 94. Also keyed to rocker shaft 94 is a rocker arm 96 whichsupports the support bar 68 on which carriers 52 are mounted. Thusmotion of cam follower 84 is transmitted through arm 86, rod 90, lever92, shaft 94, and rocker arm 96 to actuate the marking apparatus 50.

Abutting the strip path on the other side of strip 12 from magnets 64 isa vacuum block 100. As best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the vacuum block100 includes a plane surface 101 abutting the strip path, a narrowgroove 102 (0.031 inch wide and 0.015 inch deep) in surface 101extending continuously along the strip path beyond the first and last ofmagnets 64. Groove 102 is narrower than a strip as well as the magnetdiameters and is positioned between the edges of the strip path 14 andthe magnets 64. In the base of groove 102 are four.

spaced bores 104 (each 0.031 inch in diameter) communicating with A inchdiameter rear chamber 106 ex 5 tending in block 100 between the bores104. A bore 108 extends from chamber 106 to the back of block 100 and isadapted for connection to a vacuum source (not shown) via a vacuum tube110, shown in FIG. 3. The vacuum block 100 prevents movement of strip 12from its path by providing a backstop when the magnets 64 contact thestrip 12 and by preventing movement of strip 12 with the magnets 64 asthey are moved away from the strip path.

In operation, levers 76 are first actuated to activate or deactivate themagnets 64 according to the particular code pattern desired. Theprocessing apparatus is then operated to incrementally pull strip 12along the strip path 14, at the marking apparatus 50. Cam 82, timed inaccordance with the incremental movement of strip 12, maintains carriers52 in a non-marking position, shown in broken lines in FIG. 7, while thestrip 12 is in motion. When the strip 12 stops, however, the cam 82 isrotated to its actuating position causing movement of cam follower 84and the related elements of the actuator, as previously explained, tomove support bar 68 and the carriers 52 thereon to a marking position inwhich the actuated magnets 64 contact strip 12 and place a series ofmagnetic marks thereon. Before the strip 12 moves again, the carriers 52are moved to a non-marking position by the actuator. During the entireoperation, a vacuum is created in groove 102 of vacuum block 100 toprevent any transverse movement of strip 12 between block 100 andmagnets 64.

Of course, the marking apparatus 50 may be positioned at other places inthe strip processing apparatus 10 consistent with operations beingperformed in such places. Likewise, if necessary because of limitationsof space, the marking apparatus may be split into segments marking aportion of a single strip segment at different places along the strippath. It is only essential that the magnets be accurately spacedrelative to the segments and to each other and that the compositemarking of a segment occur between tabs 16, 17 of a single stripsegment. Also, while manually actuated selectors have been shown foractivating the magnets, an automatic device for setting the magnets maybe used.

A strip segment thus marked may be readily identified at a later date ifthe occasion for so doing should arise simply by detecting the magneticmarkings.

Other embodiments of this invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art which are within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for magnetically marking strip razor blade moved along ablade path, comprising:

a plurality of magnet members, a carrier for receiving each magnetmember in an assembly, a movable support bar for positioning saidmagnet-carrier assemblies adjacent said blade path;

a selector connected to each of at least several of said magnet-carrierassemblies for switching certain of said several magnet members betweena non-marking condition and a marking condition; and

an actuator connected to said support bar for moving said support bar tocause said certain magnet in said marking condition to place a pluralityof magnetic marks on the razor blade in said blade path according to apredetermined variable pattern.

2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 in which said strip razor blade ismoved incrementally therethrough, said strip razor blade is to besubsequently segmented in predetermined lengths and means coordinatingthe operation of said actuator with the incremental movement of saidblade so that magnetic marks are placed between the ends of a bladesegment at a rest position thereof between intervals of such incrementalmovement.

3. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 in which said magnet members furtherinclude a reference magnet member connected to said actuator foractuation to place a magnetic mark on said razor blade strip in eachmarking operation.

4. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnet members arepermanent magnets and each said selector moves a corresponding magnetbetween said marking condition and said non-marking condition.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 further including a vacuum block, onthe other side of said blade path from said magnets, said vacuum blockhaving a plane surface abutting said blade path and a groove in saidsurface, comprising a vacuum chamber exposed to said path via saidgroove, said groove extending along said blade path between thepositions of the edges of said strip razor blade thereat and beyondfirst and last of said magnets, said groove having a width narrower thanthe width of said strip razor blade.

6. Apparatus for magnetically marking strip razor blade moved along ablade path, comprising a plurality of permanent magnet members, eachmagnet being positioned in a carrier, and said carriers being mounted ona movable support bar positioned beside said blade path; a selectorconnected to each of at least several of said permanent magnet membersfor moving its connected magnet member between a non-marking conditionand a marking condition; and an actuator connected to said support barfor moving said magnets between a first position spaced from said bladepath and a second position adjacent said blade path to cause saidcertain magnets in said marking condition to place a plurality ofmagnetic marks on the razor blade in said blade path according to apredetermined variable pattern.

7. The apparatus claimed in claim 6 in which said magnets are mounted inhousings supported in said carriers, and further including springsconnected to said housings for biasing said magnets toward said bladepath and wherein said second position is a position abutting said bladepath for contact of said magnets with said razor blade strip.

8. The apparatus claimed in claim 7 in which each said selector is alever connected to one said housing for selectively moving the magnet insaid housing between said marking and non-marking conditions.

9. The apparatus claimed in claim 8 in which said strip razor blade ismoved incrementally therethrough, said strip razor blade is to besubsequently segmented in predetermined lengths and in which saidmagnets are actuated by said actuator for placing magnetic marks betweenthe ends of a blade segment at a rest position thereof between intervalsof such incremental movement.

10. The apparatus claimed in claim 9 further including a vacuum block,on the other side of said blade path from said magnets, said vacuumblock having a plane surface abutting said blade path and a groove insaid surface, comprising a vacuum chamber exposed to said path via saidgroove, said groove extending along said blade path between thepositions of the edges of said magnets and said strip razor bladethereat and beyond the first and last of said magnets, said groovehaving a width narrower than the width of said strip razor blade and thediameter of said magnets.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the width of saidgroove is less than one half the width of said blade strip and the widthof each said permanent magnet is less than three fourths the width ofsaid blade strip.

12. The apparatus claimed in claim 11 wherein said magnets are mountedin a straight line on said support bar and further including a referencemagnet mounted on said support bar and fixed in marking condition.

13. The apparatus claimed in claim 12 in which said actuator includes acam connected to said support bar, said cam adapted to cause movement ofsaid magnets to said second position during the at rest portion of theincremental movement of said razor blade strip.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSPeck 34633 Hickerson 234111 Brand 34674X 5 Wahrer et a1. 34674 Neilsen83549X Lee et al. 83-100X BERNARD KONICK, Primary Examiner G. M.HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

